Hydra Island
| Last= | Constructed=Natural forces | Controlled= Abandoned }} Hydra Island is a small island sitting off the coast of the main island. The island takes its name from the DHARMA Initiative's Hydra, located there. Rousseau's map depicts at least 9 offshore islands. It is unclear which of these represents Hydra Island. It is described by Ben as being about the twice the size of Alcatraz Island, which makes the land area about 0.06 square miles (just under ¼ mile by ¼ mile). However, in subsequent appearances, particularly when seen by air from Frank's perspective, the island appears somewhat larger, with large hills and expanses of jungle. . This is furthered by the distance given by the Man in Black from the landing beach to the Hydra station as a half mile, and Lapidus later saying the distance from somewhere nearby the station to the Ajira plane as being a about quarter mile. The distance from Hydra Island to the main island is unclear. Both Juliet and Sawyer report that Hydra Island is "about 2 miles offshore" of the main Island. Ben, however, directs Lapidus to a small dock on the main Island approximately a half mile due south from Hydra Island. This portion of coastline is close to the Barracks. Hydra Island went unnamed on the show until Dr. Chang threatened to have Hurley reassigned to Hydra Island where he would "weigh polar bear turds for their ridiculous experiments", confirming the island's name as Hydra Island. It was also named as such by The Man in Black. Hydra Island moved along with the main island through space and time. DHARMA Initiative See main article: The Hydra .}} The DHARMA Initiative used the second Island as the location for the Hydra, a Zoological Research Station. Their facility included an aquarium with an underwater section, where Jack was held prisoner when he was captured by the Others. Additionally, there were outdoor cages with facilities for operant conditioning. The Others .}} The Others used the Station after the downfall of the DHARMA Initiative. This island is not where the Others lived, but rather where they worked on what they refer to as "projects". Most Others prefered to remain at "home" on the main island. .}} After their capture, Jack, Kate and Sawyer, were brought to Hydra Island. Jack was held in a room under the aquarium, while Kate and Sawyer were jailed in cages above ground. The station has an operating room where Jack performed surgery on Ben. Kate and Sawyer were employed as laborers in the construction of a runway. While Sawyer and Kate were imprisoned, Tom remarked on the speed with which the cage's previous inhabitants ("the bears") had solved the conditioning puzzle. Thus the extent to which The Others were involved in, or were aware of, the DHARMA Initiative's activities on Hydra Island remains open to speculation. .}} After Ben reveals to Sawyer that they actually never placed a pacemaker inside him, they climb over hill, and Sawyer is stunned to see another island across from the one they are on. Ben announces that the nearby island is Sawyer's island and so that they cannot escape because there is nowhere to go. Ben points out that the only way to get the respect of a con man is to con him. He then also quotes "Of Mice and Men" and mentions Sawyer only gave in when he threatened Kate. Ben points out that Sawyer tries to distance himself from Kate when he really does need her. Ben tells him to return to his cage, and Sawyer, unsettled, follows. The Others had at least one large boat that provided transport to and from Hydra Island. The Others had also mentioned using a submarine to travel between the two islands. Outrigger sailing canoes were used as well, one of which Alex gave to Sawyer, Kate and Karl to escape the island. Alex revealed that there was no tunnel between Hydra Island and the main Island. It is on Hydra Island that Juliet was branded with the mark for the death of Danny and her part in the escape of Kate and Sawyer. Some time after Jack, Kate, and Sawyer left Hydra Island, The Others seem to have completed the runway and subsequently, may have abandoned the station. Runway See main article: Runway .}} Close by the Hydra compound is a rock quarry which the Others were working to clear as a construction project in 2004. The project appears to have been overseen by Pickett, and Kate and Sawyer were forced to work at the site. Juliet later told Sawyer that the land they were clearing would be used to build a runway, although claimed she did not know why. This same runway in a completed or nearly-completed state was used later by Ajira Flight 316 in 2007 for an emergency landing on Hydra Island. Ajira Airways Flight 316 .}} As a result of the time shift that caused a mid-air stall, Ajira Airways Flight 316 attempted an emergency landing on Hydra Island in 2007. The pilot, Frank Lapidus, overshot the runway but managed to land the plane before blacking out. Upon awakeneing, Lapidus found his co-pilot dead, and many passengers seriously hurt. Led by Ilana and Caesar, the passengers set up camp on the Hydra Island beach. They also fashioned one of the abandonned Hydra station buildings into an infirmary, where they attended to injured survivors. .}} Ben Linus showed Sun and Frank where he had hidden three dug-out canoes. Sun, who was untrusting of Ben, knocked him out cold with a paddle. Accompanied by Frank, Sun took a canoe and paddled to the main island to look for Jin. Ilana was also aware of the canoes and that one was taken by the pilot and "a woman" during the night. At some point in time, Ben Linus was found injured and unconscious. He was taken to the make-shift infirmary at the Hydra, where he was awakened by the appearance of the deceased John Locke. At the Hydra, Caesar found his way to Ben Linus' old office and recovered a map, a page from Daniel's journal and a shotgun. It is this same gun that Ben Linus used to kill Caesar, as Ben and Locke prepared to leave Hydra Island with one of the remaining outriggers. Frank Lapidus later returned to Hydra Island, only to be greeted at gunpoint by Ilana and Bram. After a confrontation with Ilana, Frank was knocked out with a rifle butt. When Frank regained consciousness, he was in a canoe with Ilana, Bram and a large metal crate. They, along with several other survivors of Flight 316, were on their way to the main island to look for the Others. Widmore's camp The Man in Black instructed Sawyer to travel to Hydra Island in a reconnaissance mission to gain information on the survivors of Ajira Flight 316. After finding the dead bodies of all of the survivors of Ajira 316 on the island, Sawyer found a woman who called herself Zoe and who claimed to be one of the survivors from the Ajira flight. Sawyer went along with her, until they got to the outrigger and she asked him whether the people he was with had guns. This tipped Sawyer off to the fact that she was lying. She dropped the act and whistled loudly, then several men appeared at the treeline, cocked their guns, and took Sawyer prisoner. Sawyer surrendered to these men and was taken to a submarine at the dock. In the submarine, Sawyer was taken to a cabin and was introduced to Charles Widmore. Sawyer proposed that he would bring John Locke to the submarine in exchange for the protection of his friends and a secure trip off of the island. Charles agreed to this and let Sawyer go back to the main island. Widmore's people appeared to be setting up a portable sonar fence around their camp. However, Sayid disabled the station's generators, allowing the Man in Black to breach the barrier. A battle occurred soon after at the cages, and later at the Ajira plane and dock. The dock There is a small dock on Hydra Island where Charles Widmore docked his submarine. It is within the perimeter of Widmore's sonar fence. Trivia .}} * Fan names for Hydra Island include "Falcatraz" (false Alcatraz) or "Lostcatraz". The producers once dubbed it "Damonville". ** While fans had dubbed the second island "Hydra Island" ever since Season 3, this name was not used canonically within the show until . * There have been two notable occasions where a "second island" can been seen in the background during shots. ** When Ana Lucia leads her group across the Island, a smaller island can be seen on the horizon (pictured). Note a second, smaller silhouette to the left of this island. ** As Michael and Walt leave Pala Ferry, a small island can briefly be seen behind the boat as it moves away. However, no island was visible when Sayid arrived at the pier on the sailboat. Hydra Island Category:Island Category:Locations